Neal Litherland
Bio
Neal Litherland is an author, freelance blogger, and RPG designer. A regular on the Chicago convention circuit, he works in a variety of genres.
Blog: Improved Initiative and The Literary Mercenary
Stories (309/0)
How to Build Spider-Man in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Spider-Man has been one of Marvel Comics' hottest commodities for years. The face of the company in many ways, the wise-cracking wall-crawler has been featured in nearly every title Marvel has put out, and seems to be on a first-name basis with nearly every character in the sprawling fictional universe. And now that he's finally made his way into the MCU, that certainly isn't changing. If you'd like to bring a set of spider powers to your Pathfinder table, then this guide should help you nail down some of the big strokes in creating your own high-fantasy Spider-Man.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
How to Build Thor in 'The Pathfinder' RPG
The self-proclaimed protector of Earth, Thor has become one of Marvel's most popular heroes since the Avengers came together on the big screen. For those who want to bring some of the Asgardian prince's rough humor to their Pathfinder games (along with his hard-hitting hammer), it can be done. It might take a few levels and some very careful building, but it can be done.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
How to Build Ghost Rider in the 'Pathfinder' RPG
Everyone knows the story of Johnny Blaze. A daredevil motorcycle rider, he sold his soul to the devil in order to buy his dad a little more time on Earth. The devil kept his end, and then came to demand his due. Johnny found himself saddled with the demon Zarathos, the true Spirit of Vengeance. When innocent blood was spilled, and the guilty walked free, Zarathos took control of Johnny, and transformed him into the Ghost Rider. A being of fire and bone who felt no fear, no pity, and who would not stop until the guilty had been punished.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
5 Tips For Playing Better Clerics
The gods are a distant, yet potent force in fantasy RPGs. While they rarely interact in meaningful ways with the populace at large, there are certain servants they deem worthy. Men and women whose prayers are answered, and who are graced with the touch of the divine. They are given the right to perform miracles in the name of the gods, and they draw their power from a well deeper (and sometimes darker) than mortal minds can comprehend. They are known by many names throughout the world, but to those of us sitting around the table they're called clerics.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
5 Tips For Playing Better Bards
Bards. They're performers and spies, battle drummers, healers, storytellers, and commanders. The class's powers are so varied and flexible that bards are one of the most fluid base classes. Whether a party is delving into a dungeon that's been sealed for a thousand years, hunting assassins in the king's court, or on the front lines of a major war, you should always bring a bard with you.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
5 Tips for Playing Better Paladins
The paladin is one of the iconic figures of fantasy RPGs. Stalwart and noble, these knights in shining armor are conduits to the divine, and sources of hope and goodness in a world often plagued with darkness. At the same time, though, they are uniquely mortal, and just as their strengths are magnified, so too are their weaknesses. A paladin who loses her way is cut off from the power of the gods, and has to climb up the mountain to once again redeem herself. Some paladins take the divergent path though, and reach out to the forces of evil instead, becoming perverse reflections of what they once were. Bloody warriors who inflict cruelty and death on all those around them, and whose black-stained hearts give even true fiends pause.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
5 Tips for Playing Better Barbarians
Barbarian. As soon as we hear the word, an image comes to our minds. A tall, muscular figure with a primal might about them. A figure of nearly animalistic strength, the barbarian is unbound by modernity, and unshackled by the worries and fears of lesser men and women. However, while this archetype looms large in roleplaying games, barbarian characters don't need to fit this mold. They can grow and change in unexpected ways. If you're looking for ways to make your barbarians more memorable, and to reach beyond the typical limits put on the class, this guide should help get you started.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
How to Build John Wick in 'Dungeons and Dragons' 5th Edition
A man whose name sends shivers down the spine of even the most skilled assassins at the beck and call of the High Table, John Wick is the best there ever was. A man who did the impossible, he got out of the game for love... and he got back in for revenge. And since he's returned, he has proven that despite the years he was gone, he is still very much the John Wick of old.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
50 Shades of Rage
The word barbarian brings to mind certain images. Snowbound brutes with fur cloaks and broad swords, their long hair whipping in the wind as they howl savage battle cries, undeterred by the exhaustion and pain that would plague merely mortal men. Hulking tribesmen on the endless tundra, their spears and hands bloody from the long day's hunt for game and enemies alike. Or, if you're a cultured sort of gamer geek, you might picture some of the old pulp magazine covers that prominently featured Conan, Kull, and the other barbarians created by Robert E. Howard and his ilk.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
- Top Story - May 2019
Glima: The Martial Art Created by the VikingsTop Story - May 2019
When the Norsemen sailed out of Scandinavia, they quickly cultivated a bloody and fearsome reputation. Brutal warriors and vicious raiders, they were also skilled sailors and navigators, and they established trade networks from the British Isles all the way to Constantinople (where many Norsemen joined the Varangian Guard, acting as the personal bodyguards to the Eastern Roman emperors).
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Unbalanced
10 Backgrounds for Your Spellcasters
Magic is one of the most potent tools in a fantasy setting, and it comes in many forms. A gift from the gods, a product of long study, an accident of birth, unlocking the mystical potential of music, or a bargain with an eldritch being are all viable paths to power. The thing many of us forget, though, is that these magic users come from even more diverse backgrounds, and they use their spells in a variety of different ways.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
5 Tips for Playing Better Noble Characters
Fantasy stories are replete with tales of noble adventurers. From princes like Charming and Valiant, to knights in shining (or dented and hard-used) armor, to sorcerer queens and pirate lords, it seems like you can't go more than a few chapters before finding someone with a title and a piece of land to call their own.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers